"THIS SQUALID WARFARE"

Evening Star, Issue 26041, 4 March 1947, Page 7

"THIS SQUALID WARFARE"

How Long? Asks Churchill

Cost to Britain £40,000,000

(Rec. 11.40 a.m.) LONDON, March 3. After recounting the Palestine outrages of March 1 and the’ counter measures, Mr Creech Jones declared in the House of Commons to-day: “ I must again condemn these murderous outrages. They cannot help to solve the Palestine problem, especially since the Go* vernment has announced that it is referring the whole question to the United Nations. The House will deplore the Jewish community’s ion not to respond more wholeheartedly to the High Commissioner’s request" to co-operate more effectively against terrorism.” Mr Jones expressed sympathy with the bereaved, and said everything possible was being done to bring the criminals to justice. Mr Churchill asked: Why are the measures now proposed likely to be more effective than other measures taken in the last 12- months after similar outrages P~ Mr Jones replied that under statutory martial law whole areas were ndonod off and the Army was making most intensive searches. Mr S. S Silverman asked for a more generous Jewish immigration policy pending the United Nations settlement to strengthen the hands of the Jews 'iio wished to help maintain order in Palestine. 1 Mr Jones -replied that the Government was studying closely all the suggestions made in the debate last week. The Jewish community the past month had taken certain active steps to reduce terrorism, but had not been able to respond wholeheartedly to the .High Commissioner’s,request. Mr Churchill asked: How long do you expect that this squalid warfare, with all its bloodshed and its annua! cost of £30,000,000 to £40,000,000, and occupying 100,000 Englishmen away from our other military forces, will go on? Mr Jones replied: We are fully alive to the serious, conditions in

Palestine, and every step will be taken to end tne tragic situation as rapidly as possible. Mr Jones said the military commander, in consultation with the High Commissioner, controlled the immediate action. Mr Churchill again asked: “How long is this to go on?” (Opposition cheers.) “Is there no means of celerating the appeal to the_United Nations, or are we just to drift on with these horrible outrages find necessary. hut painful, counter-measures? Mr Jones answered: The Government Is not drifting. It it already seeing whether United Nations procedure cannot be expedited. Mr Pickthorne asked whether, in view of the lack of whole-hearted cooperation by the Jewish community, Mr Jones would produce for the House immediately all the information and evidence possessed about the relations between the Stern, Gang, Irgun Zvai Leumi, Haganah, and. the Jewish Agency. - There was an outburst of Opposition cheering, and insistent shouta of / “ Answer! ”

Mr Jones declared, < amid Labour cheers: “If the Opposition had shown elementary good manners they could have heard my reply, which is in the negative.” . i . Mr Jones ignored cries of, “ Why not.?,” .

He told another questioner that he thought none of the Jewish terrorists had been executed. ‘

Mr Churchill asked when Mr Jones expected to be able to announce that the United Nations would be able to attend promptly to Palestine. Mr Jones replied that he hoped within a week to he able to announce the progress of British inquiries with the United Nations..

Mr Churchill then said : “If I ask the question in a week’s time, you, or perhaps even the Prime Minister, might do your best to answer it.” . Labour cries of “ Cheap 1 ”